HR Specialist

Keen; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A dynamic marketing agency in Cape Town is looking for its first HR Specialist to support and scale its internal operations. You will manage the employee lifecycle, conduct HR audits, and establish strong HR systems. The ideal candidate will have 3–5 years of HR experience, especially in fast-scaling environments. This full-time position offers competitive compensation and the opportunity to shape HR practices directly in collaboration with the CEO.

Benefits

Competitive full-time compensation

Birthday leave

Professional development budget

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of HR experience in agency or professional services.
• Strong working knowledge of HR policies and South African labour law.
• Proven track record in managing employee lifecycles and coaching leaders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement HR policies and procedures.
• Own the end-to-end employee lifecycle processes.
• Conduct HR audits and advise on compliance.

Skills

HR experience in agency or services

Knowledge of South African labour law

Excellent communication skills

Organizational skills

Proactive and decisive

Job description

Overview

At Keen, we don't just deliver services — we embed ourselves into the heart of our clients' businesses. From digital marketing and creative to customer experience, we craft bold, high-performance digital experiences for global brands.

Keen helps some of the most exciting U.S. and international companies scale smarter by embedding expert teams that drive results across marketing, creative, customer experience, and sales. We're not a legacy agency or BPO. We're a partner in growth — and that's where you come in.

About the Role

We’re hiring our first HR Specialist to support Keen internally as we scale in Cape Town. Reporting directly to the CEO, this is a high-ownership role where you’ll be empowered to make quick decisions, establish HR systems, and be a trusted partner to leadership across a growing 50+ person team.

You’ll be responsible for building and driving HR practices that support a 24/7 global business, managing everything from onboarding and engagement to performance management, PIPs, and offboarding. This role is perfect for someone with experience in an agency or services businesses who thrives on autonomy, isn’t afraid to tackle tough conversations, and can balance both strategy and day-to-day execution.

What You’ll Do

• Develop, implement, and update HR policies and procedures, ensuring compliance and scalability as the company grows
• Act as the go-to HR partner for our Cape Town teams (50+ employees across two office locations), ensuring employee needs and business priorities are balanced
• Own the end-to-end employee lifecycle: recruitment handoff, offers, onboarding, engagement, performance improvement plans, quarterly performance reviews, offboardings, and exit processes
• Coach team leaders on performance management, employee relations, and disciplinary actions — building confidence in leadership capability
• Partner with the CEO and leadership team to resolve people issues pragmatically and drive a performance-oriented culture
• Conduct HR audits to ensure compliance with South African labour laws and health and safety standards, and advise on corrective actions
• Lead proactive employee engagement initiatives that strengthen culture and connection across teams
• Support recruitment efforts by tracking attrition, forecasting headcount needs, and collaborating with the Talent team
• Serve as a liaison between the U.S. and South African offices to harmonize policies and practices across geographies
• Handle sensitive matters with discretion and urgency, making informed recommendations and quick actions when needed
• Maintain accurate HR records and documentation, ensuring seamless reporting and compliance
• Provide administrative support for payroll, benefits, and employee requests while continuously improving processes for efficiency

What We’re Looking For

• 3–5 years of HR experience, ideally in agency, professional services, or fast-scaling environments
• Strong working knowledge of HR policies, procedures, and South African labour law and CCMA
• Proven track record managing employee lifecycles including offers, onboarding, coaching, performance reviews, PIPs, and offboardings
• Confident in handling sensitive employee matters and coaching leaders on performance management
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with employees, leaders, and executives alike
• Proactive, decisive, and comfortable making quick calls in high-pressure or ambiguous situations
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, able to balance strategic projects with urgent HR needs
• Flexible to support a 24/7 global business with occasional off-hours responsiveness and adapting schedules to support alternate shifts
• Comfortable working in-office 5 days per week at our Cape Town location in Wembley Square

What’s In It for You

• Competitive full-time compensation
• A seat at the table as Keen’s first dedicated HR hire, reporting directly to the CEO
• Opportunity to shape HR systems, culture, and performance management practices from the ground up
• In-office culture with exposure to global teams and clients
• Birthday leave + professional development budget
• Be part of a high-growth company that values ownership, clarity, and people-first leadership

This is a full-time position, working from 3pm to 12am SAST, with the need to adapt your schedule if necessary.

The role is in-office, based at our office in Wembley Square, Cape Town. The ability to commute to and from the office is required.